Challenging, rewarding, and disappointing backpack in dense fog conditions. 

Day 1: TH to Little Heart Lake: Drove from Portland to the West Fork Foss Lakes TH and started our hike after a quick lunch at the parking lot picnic table. The ascent to Little Heart Lake was relatively steep on a well-tended trail. There were nice water crossings for cooling off.

Day 2: Little Heart Lake to Chetwood: It was so foggy we could not see Big Heart Lake from the outlet crossing! We were rewarded with misty views of Big Heart Lake and Angeline Lake as we climbed. The maintained trail ends just past Big Heart Lake, but the route along the Atrium Peak Ridge was easy to follow. 

Day 3: Chetwoot to Tank Lakes. Hopped from one boulder to another for much of the day, relying on cairns for direction. We had virtually no views and the clouds were increasingly soaked throughout the day. Back at Copper Lake, a ranger suggested we stay high on the trail past Iron Cap Lake at ~5600' to avoid a cliff ledge. We did but ended up crawling through bushes to get back to the main route and we don’t know if this was the preferable route or not. The descent to the low point west of the Iron Cap Gap was surprisingly steep and we were quite glad we were on a route previously traveled. After the Iron Cap Gap the route was relatively easy to walk and navigate. Photos of Tank Lakes look amazing, but we could barely see the lake from our lake-front campsite and nothing of the surrounding area.

Day 4: Tank Lakes to Iiswoot via La Bohn Lakes: With no views in the morning we packed up our wet gear and navigated by cairns to a very steep, gravelly ridge to descend into Necklace Valley. As the sky had cleared, we ascended to La Bohn Lakes. The route climbs 950' in 0.5 miles along boulders and then a boot path. The difficult climb was worth the effort. We were rewarded with views of Necklace Valley, La Bohn Lakes, Chain Lakes, and surrounding mountains. We camped at lovely Iiswoot Lake.

Day 5: While the descent along the first 3 miles out may be considered steep, it was gentle in comparison to the off-trail segments we had already completed. The Necklace Valley trail was thankfully recently brushed! From the East Foss TH we walked the road back to our car but were able to hitch a ride the last mile or so.

Few mosquitoes, the worst at Iiswoot Lake. Very few other hikers from Big Heart Lake to Emerald Lake. Ripe blueberries, huckleberries and thimbleberries. We hung our food but did not see any bears or other large animals. We did hear and see many pikas. The forecast called for cloudy skies. We didn't grasp we'd be in the clouds, so dense we could see the raindrops and little of the surrounding area.

My partner and I made this a 3-day, 2-night backpacking trip and shifted our departure date to avoid the wet weather coming in.

Day 1: East Fork Foss Trail to Necklace Valley (Jade Lake)

Arrived at the TH around 7:50 am on Saturday morning and it was full! We weren’t surprised and had to park down the road a bit. Bathroom at TH and relevant trail beta bulletin posted. First few miles are pretty mellow and we had to laugh at the posted trail description that the “first 5 miles are well maintained,” because it was pretty overgrown in a lot of places and we were whacked by lots of flora and some stinging nettles as we powered through. There are five campsites along this 5-mile stretch and lots of water access points. You’ll cross a bridge and then 2 additional log bridges over running creeks and streams.

As you approach the third log crossing, this is when you begin the long slog of a climb up to the lakes in Necklace Valley. You start going up a small boulder field, head through steep wooded sections, and then an open exposed component before entering back into the woods. All of your elevation is in this stretch. You’ll pass two other campsites and then approach the last memorial log bridge before continuing to climb through steep wooded and rocky (at times) terrain. I’m not convinced the mileage posted to AllTrails or even at the TH is accurate. Garmin watch logged 8 miles to Jade Lake and we did not take any side trips this day.

We passed a lot of groups and trail runners heading out and eventually made it to Jade Lake around noon. There are pretty much only two campsites here, at the south end of the lake. One is on a built up platform and has room for two tents and the other is on a small island between the lake, creek, and trail. We chose this smaller site and had a lovely view of Jade all afternoon and evening. The bugs were annoying but we didn’t feel afflicted by them. They were kept at bay with Deet applications and a bug net in the evening.

Day 2: Jade Lake to Tank Lakes

Hit the trail up to Tank Lakes at 10 am and walked through the main trail past Emerald Lake, spotting the shelter and taking advantage of the wooden, open-air pit toilet. The trail through the valley is beautiful - walls of mountains all around you, meandering trail, wildflowers, streams, and waterfalls. We continued to the section where the trail could continue up to La Bohn Lakes (we considered this as part of our day hike but it truly looked menacing up alongside the waterfall… maybe a trip in the future). We took the right to continue up to Tank and it’s all talus and loose rock until the top. We followed some cairns that led us astray… We used our navigation and made it safely back to where we needed to be in the end. We were able to stay on trail on the way out just fine. My advice: stay to the right of the creek and when you see an opportunity to go up the rock ridge, do so! You want to be atop of the ridge for most of the trek here. This stretch is insanely beautiful with towering peaks in front, next to, and behind you. Puddles of snow melt create a beautiful juxtaposition with the rocky moonscape. There are some snow patches to cross but they require no traction at this time. As you cross the final snow patch you start to see the Chief Mountain peaks with the first and largest Tank Lank in the foreground. We logged 3.1 miles on this stretch.

Words can’t really do this area justice, but we had a really lovely time exploring the boot paths, seeing and hearing various pikas and marmots, and even taking a dip in the lake. There is still some snow past the main lake. Campsites seem bountiful here and we had a hard time deciding. There were only two other groups up there with us on Sunday. As the sun set, the clouds rolled in.

Day 3: Tank Lakes to East Fork Foss TH

Woke up early to a totally socked in lake. No views remained and the fog turned to mist, then turned to rain/drizzle. We packed up and hit the trail by 8 am. Slow going for the first bit while we searched for cairns, taking the correct trail out through the talus field. The last descent down from the ridge line to the creek is steep and there is some loose rock. We heard significant rockfall and watched it tumble in the distance behind us and kept going. Trail out was wet and we were soaked, mostly from wet vegetation brushing up against us. We stopped in the shelter for a snack and once again for a water refill and lunch once we were out of the steep downhill. We were back at the car just around 3 pm.

TL;DR: Trail to Necklace Valley is brushy and overgrown. Elevation begins immediately after the 5th campsite log crossing and is relentless until Jade Lake. Finding campsites did not feel daunting. Hike to Tank Lakes is through a talus field with some snow remaining. Bugs and mosquitoes were present.

We did the Necklace Valley and Jade Lake!

Gear brought: Didn't bring ice axes or microspikes. There's a little snow travel, but not much and it typically wasn't steep or no bad runout.

Day 1

• Jade Lake
• Dip Top Gap

Day 2

• Mount Hinman
• La Bohn Gap
• Tank Lakes

Day 3

• Iron Cap Gap
• Chetwoot Lake
• Big Heart, Copper, Trout Lakes

Getting to Jade Lake: From the end of FS 6830 road, I'd recommend taking the trail down to Deception Creek and then around to Lake Clarice trail to Marmot Lake. LOTS of mosquitoes at Jade Lake.

Tank Lakes to Chetwoot: This section is SLOWER than you'd think. Lots more boulder fields and scrambly trail.

Chetwoot-Out: Trail gets better. Lots of walking.

Woah. I can't believe I've never hiked in this area of Alpine Lakes Wilderness before now. I'd heard of the Necklace Valley before, but only recently did I come across GPS tracks for an "Alpine Lakes High Route". It surpassed my expectations, but it's not for the faint of heart. We walked counter clockwise (CCW)

TLDR; stunning lakes, breathtaking peaks, pika galore and slow miles. Lots of off-trail scrambling on this route, and when there is trail, it's pretty rough. Expect the occasional blowdown and twisted ankle. Bugs weren't bad.

My partner and I left the West Fork Foss trailhead around 6:40 p.m. There were maybe 30 cars in the parking lot, with more arriving. The trail to Trout Lake and onward to Copper Lake is in good condition, if not a little steep in some sections. Pay attention to the fun bridge and massive old growth tree; it's probably the biggest I've seen outside of California. Lots of campsites were taken at Copper, especially in marshy areas right next to the lake. We opted for a quiet flat spot up the trail and in the trees.

The trail is steep coming out of Copper, and past Big Heart Lake it begins to get a little scrambly. Keep an eye out for cairns as the trail climbs into stretches of granite alpine zone. Upper Chetwood is probably the last solid spot for reliable camping until closer to Tank Lake. The next few miles are incredibly slow (some parties estimated it took them 7-9 hours to traverse), so budget your time accordingly.

The trail is a mixture of rock hopping and balancing to Iron Cap Lake. Follow cairns, take the dirt path when you can (as long as you stay on route) and check your map for topographic features you notice in your environment. Iron Cap Lake itself is one of the coolest lakes I've seen in the state. We only saw 2 other parties through this entire stretch.

CCW, the trail goes through a cliffy section. I didn't think exposure was too bad, but it would be incredibly dangerous if you were off route. Follow cairns to a stony basin, just south of Tank Lake. I couldn't find the cairn path down, but bushwacking wasn't too tough here. Luckily, views here are incredible.

Tank Lake was fairly crowded, and understandably so. The hike down towards Necklace Valley is out of this world, but also incredibly eroded and rocky, so take your time. We averaged barely over 1 mph this entire day. Even once we were back on trail, it was incredibly steep (barring the Necklace Valley itself). We slept about 2 miles north of Necklace Valley, along the steep decline.

The river walk back to Necklace Valley trailhead is pleasant, and there are bridges across all significant crossings. The trailhead itself was provisioned with toilet paper and garbage cans. Hiking back to our car along the forest road was quick, and we were back home around lunch after a quick visit to Sultan Bakery. I recommend the cinnamon cups.

Day 1

Distance: 4.83 miles
Elevation gain: 2,513 feet

Day 2

Distance: 13.37 miles
Elevation gain: 4,501

Day 3

Distance: 8.57 miles
Elevation gain: 528 feet

"Witness, not achievement, is what I was after".  - Barry Lopez

With my move away from trail running and slowing down on the trails, it has brought a fresh perspective on how I see and experience the places I have already visited.  It has been a breath of fresh air to go back and experience trails and areas I have previously visited and I find myself wanting to go back to places and re experience them.  I have also come to realize that the more familiar and intimate I become with a place, the more I cherish it.  

With that out of the way, I felt compelled to re-visit Necklace Valley and once at it's head, either go to La Bohn Gap and perhaps Mount Hinman or re-introduce myself to Tank Lakes.  A spot I had not been to for over nine years and only as part of a bigger loop that found me pushing right past the lakes and not truly taking some time to soak it all in.

As you can see from the trip report, Tank Lakes was what I chose but I did not make that choice until I had reached the decision point deep in the valley.  

Road to the East Fork of the Foss is in very good shape and even not very washboard(ey).  At 7:30 AM the parking lot was mostly full but I found a spot to squeeze in.  Restroom is stocked and in good shape.

I hadn't been on this trail since 2017 so even it felt fresh and new.   The first four or five miles of flat may be boring to some but I delighted in the forest around me and smiled at the thought that in hours, I would be in terrain that would be so significantly different than what I was traveling through.  The trail was in great shape with not much to note.  There are some brushy sections and one ankle did get the stinging nettle treatment (on the way out) that could have been prevented if I had just worn some longer socks.  Plentiful water sources to top off along the section.

Two solid and easy to cross log bridges over the East Fork and then the climb to the valley begins. I vaguely remembered it being a stout climb and my memory served me correctly.  Because of my later start, I began my ascent as the temps warmed up and was kicking myself for not starting earlier as I broke out of the trees and climbing in the direct sun.  But this section isn't too long and you find yourself back in the trees and cooler temps.  Again, plenty of water sources to rely on and even some flat sections between steep climbs.  

The climb went quicker than I anticipated (benefits of having just a day pack on) and before I knew it, I was at the outlet of Jade Lake.  This really is the start of this magnificent valley of forest with sub-alpine sections surrounded by at times, sheer cliffs on either side.  I had forgotten just how beautiful this valley is!  

Relatively easy meandering means you can take it all in as you move deeper into the wilderness. Some berries are starting to show so I was hoping for a bear sighting but no luck.  I made my way up the valley.  The trail is obvious to follow and again, plenty of water sources to take advantage of on the hot day.  As you near the head of the valley, there are some tricky sections where the trail either goes through some small boulder fields or around them, so just take your time and look around if you lose the trail.

Eventually I was a the decision point for the day.  I sat down to take a break and have a snack to ponder my decision but the mosquitoes were just too persistent for an enjoyable break even with DEET on.  Which was unfortunate because even the head of the valley is worth a trip along.  The cascading waterfall coming of the outlet of La Bohn Lakes and the towering rock walls is a sight to behold.

I eventually chose the "easier" of the two and went right to make my way to Tank Lakes. This climb felt almost brand new to me and I marveled at how in this severe landscape there was a relatively easy, broad slope of talus and open terrain leading up into the deeper mountains.  Surely the work of a glacier as it slowly retreated.  Stay right of the creek that is flowing down the slope and you will see a social trail that leads up past the most difficult part of the climb.  I did have to cross back and forth over the creek a couple of times but it is easy to keep your feet dry.

After a steep 150' or so of talus/choss (but still a trail) the slope mellows and the views really open up.  This big wide open wandering really reminds me of the High Sierra and is such a treat.  At the time of this writing, there are still snow slopes you will have to traverse but they are mellow with no consequence if you slip.  I did not use traction or an ice axe as the snow was so soft and my footing secure.  You will want to trend to climbers left to avoid some cliffs which means re-crossing the creek.

The climbers path fades but cairns continue to mark the way.  I probably stopped every minute to gawk at everything around me.  Such dramatic landscape!  I believe it's about a mile from the valley floor to the lakes, give or take.  Then as you pop over the saddle and look down on Tank Lakes, you are treated to another jaw dropping view.

I immediately regretted taking the easy route and leaving my overnight gear at home, even with the mosquitoes.  This is a place you want to put the extra work in to be able to stay at least a night if not more.  So much exploring to do as it feels like a mini-Enchantments.  You could even choose to day trip up La Bohn Peak or for a longer day trip, La Bohn Lakes/Chain Lakes and even a Hinman attempt.  I will definitely be back.

I stayed as long as I could deal with the mosquitoes, then headed back. 

Highly recommended that you take the time to visit this place.  A truly unique experience!  I wish I had better pictures to share but a quick Google search will take you to some proper ones!